Knitting machine



7, 1929- .].H. SHAFFER ETAL 1,712,052

. KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l /3 INVENTORS;

I I I v l] ATTORNEY.

J. HQSHAFFER ET AL May 7, 1929.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Old.

INVENTORJ" 3/. 6 BY ME. 6

ATTORNEY}.

Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES PAT N F C JOHN H. SHAFFEB, or rALMYnA; NEW JERSEY, an];PETER chasm, or

' NOBRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA; 1

Application filed August 31, 1927. Serial No. 216,572.

. The present invention relates to knitting machines of the circulartype, and preferably those employing spring needles. The objectis toprovide mechanism of a simple, effective, and novel character forperiodically moving the pickers to inoperative positions. This mechanismis in addition to the usual picker. operating devices, and 13particularly useful larged scale and taken substantially onthe line 22of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional VlQW taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1...

Figure 4 isa side elevationv of the operat-.

' ing mechanism, and one of the pickers.

Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the cams. The complete machine hasnot been illustrated because it is believed to be unnecessary to anunderstanding of the invention by,

thoseskilled in the art. It may be a Wildman spring needle knitter or isapplicableto machines of the type shown in the patent to Hemphill933,443, September 7, 1909.

In the drawings,the cylinder of the machine is designated generally bythe reference numeral 5, and contains the usual needle direct ng cams 6.Conventional pickers are pivotally mounted at 8 on the usual pickerbrackets 9, and are adapted to be operated in the usual manner. Thestructure thus far is standard and well known.

As is well known in ordinary practice on the last half of the heel andtoe, these pickers operate so as to permit two needles to be. droppedand to raise one. The present 1nvention comprises means for drawing thepickers out of operative position so that on each operation, the needlesare dropped and none are raised by said pickers.

To this end, a supporting bracket 10 is placed upon the frame behind thecylinder, and is provided with an extended journal box sleeve 11. Inthis sleeve is mounted a rockshaft 12 held against longitudinaldisplacement by collars 13 fixed to the shaft at the ends of the sleeve11 by set screws 14. Links 15 engaged with the set screws 14 are provided with looped ends 16 that engage pins ciently long to allow thepins to play therein, and thus permit the normal movement 01' thepickers 7 during the usual knitting operations.

The rock-shaft 12 projects beyond the side of the machine at whichthe-usual fashion 17 on the pickers'i. The loops 16 are sumdrum orstitch wheel 18 is located and this stitch wheel 18 has adjustablysecured to its rear side cam plates 19, the plates being provided withlongitudinal slots .7 20- through which the holding screws 21 pass.These cam platesengage one arm22of a bell crank lever 23, the other arm21 of whichhas.pivotally connected to it a link 25 The link 25 hasbearing nut 26 adjustably threaded on its up; per end and thisbearingnut engages the eye 27 of a crank arm 28 fixed ,tosthe rock shatt12. The link 25 passes throughthe eye127. A coilspring 29 is secured tothe bell crank arm 24 to raise the. same and oppose movement of the bellcrank by thecam plates19.

The operation of the mechanism mayfbe briefly outlined as follows:

During the main portionsof'the knitting operations, the. cams 19 aredisengaged from the arm 22 of the bell crank23, and consequently thespring 29 will hold the bell crank raised so that'the pickers 7 will bein lowered position, and these-pickers are freeto swing upward during.the knitting operations. When the knitting has progressed to a pointwhere the heel or the toe of the stocking is to be widened, one of thecams 19 reaches a position to swing the bell crank 23, thus causing adownward movement of the link 25 and pullingthe links 15 so as to raisethe pickers out of the path of the needles. The consequence is thatinstead of dropping two needles and raising one on each operation, twoneedles are dropped and none are raised. As the re salt for example, astocking can be readily produced with a machine equipped with thismechanism, corresponding to that found in the application of PeterCapareli Serial No. 154,795, filed Decemberl l, 1926. i

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

VVh-at We claim, is

1. In a knittingrmachine, the combination with the usual knittingmechanism, includ ing pivoted pickers, of a rock-shaft, link connectionsbetween the rock-shaft and pickers,

and means for periodically operating the rock-shaft.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination with. the usual knittingmechanism, including? pivoted pickers, of a rock-shaft, link connectionsbetween the rock-shaft and pickers,

and a cam for periodically operating the rock-shaft.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination with the usualknittingmechanism,including'pivoted pickers, of'a rock-shaft, linkconnections between the rock-shaft; and pickers that permit the pickersto be" raised independently'of't he operation of the rock-shaft,

and means for periodically operating therock-shaft. I

4. Ina knitting machine, the combination with a cylinder and oppositelydisposedpickers pivotally mountedthereon, of a rock'- shaft ournaledinrear'of tlie cylinderplinks connectedto the rock-shaft,andhaving'slot's, pins on the pickers engaged in the'slotsand' capableof play therein to-permit' the pickers to beop'erated independently ofthe links, a cam, a bell crank periodically engaged by' the cam,- and alink connection between the bell crankand rock-shaft for operating thelatter from the former.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination with a frameand the usualknitting mech anism, including pickers, of a rock shaft journaled on theframe,me'ans for periodically turning the rock shaft, cranks on the rockshaft, and link connectionsbetween the said pickers being moved by thelinks on theturning of the-rock shaft.

7. In a lmittinginachine, the combination with a frame and the usualknitting mechanism including pickers, of a journal box sleeve mountedon'the frame, a rock shaft journaled in the sleeve and projecting beyondthe ends thereof, means for iieriodically turning the rock shaft,collars fixed to the; rock shaft at the ends of the sleeve and holch ingthe rock shaft thereon, and links connecting the collars and the pickersfor operating the latter 0n the movement of the rock shaft.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a frame, and the usualknitting mechanism including pickers, of a journal box sleeve mounted onthe frame,a rock shaft journaled in the sleeve and projectingbeyond theends thereof, means forperiodically turning the rock shaft, collars onthe rock shaft atthe ends of the sleeve and holding the rock shafttherein, set screws fixing'the collars to th'e rock shaft, and linksconnected to'the set SCI'GWSELIld having lost motion connections withthe pickers.

Intestimony whereof, We afliX our signatures'.

JOHN H. SHAFFER. PETER OAPARELI.

